Psalms 78
1 A Maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my instruction; listen to the words of my mouth.
Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
2 I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,
Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
3 that we have heard and known and our fathers have relayed to us.
esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
4 We will not hide them from their children, but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might, and the wonders He has performed.
Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
6 that the coming generation would know them— even children yet to be born— to arise and tell their own children
ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
7 that they should put their confidence in God, not forgetting His works, but keeping His commandments.
ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
8 Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
9 The archers of Ephraim turned back on the day of battle.
Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
10 They failed to keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law.
Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
11 They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them.
Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
12 He worked wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
13 He split the sea and brought them through; He set the waters upright like a wall.
Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
14 He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night.
Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
15 He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as abundant as the seas.
Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
16 He brought streams from the stone and made water flow down like rivers.
Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
17 But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
18 They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved.
Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
19 They spoke against God, saying, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?
Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
20 When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”
Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama na?
21 Therefore the LORD heard and was filled with wrath; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and His anger flared against Israel,
Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
22 because they did not believe God or rely on His salvation.
ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
23 Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of the heavens.
Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
24 He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven.
wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
25 Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.
Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
26 He stirred the east wind from the heavens and drove the south wind by His might.
Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
27 He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea.
Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
28 He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.
wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
29 So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them what they craved.
Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
30 Yet before they had filled their desire, with the food still in their mouths,
Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
31 God’s anger flared against them, and He put to death their strongest and subdued the young men of Israel.
ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; despite His wonderful works, they did not believe.
Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
33 So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.
Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
34 When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God.
Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
35 And they remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
36 But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues.
Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
37 Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.
Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
38 And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.
Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
40 How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!
Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
41 Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
42 They did not remember His power — the day He redeemed them from the adversary,
Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
43 when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.
Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
44 He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.
lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.
Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper, the fruit of their labor to the locust.
Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
47 He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
48 He abandoned their cattle to the hail and their livestock to bolts of lightning.
Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
49 He unleashed His fury against them, wrath, indignation, and calamity— a band of destroying angels.
Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
50 He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague.
Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
51 He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
52 He led out His people like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
53 He led them safely, so they did not fear, but the sea engulfed their enemies.
Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
54 He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain His right hand had acquired.
Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
55 He drove out nations before them and apportioned their inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
56 But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
57 They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.
Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
58 They enraged Him with their high places and provoked His jealousy with their idols.
Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
59 On hearing it, God was furious and rejected Israel completely.
UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had pitched among men.
Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
61 He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.
Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
62 He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.
Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
63 Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs.
Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
64 His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty warrior overcome by wine.
Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
66 He beat back His foes; He put them to everlasting shame.
Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
67 He rejected the tent of Joseph and refused the tribe of Ephraim.
Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
68 But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.
Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
69 He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He has established forever.
Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
70 He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
71 from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.
ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
72 So David shepherded them with integrity of heart and guided them with skillful hands.
Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
